Four years on
On my way to work this morning, I walked through Russell Square Park just like I’ve done for almost every working day of the seven years I’ve lived in London. But this morning I took a different route through the park to stand by the oak tree planted as a memorial to those who lost their lives in the London bombings, four years ago to the day. I was one of thousands, I'm sure, who, if we’d left the house minutes earlier / later / hadn't stopped to buy a paper, could have been on the train which exploded between Kings Cross and Russell Square tube stations. The oak tree flourishes and grows and at 8.30am this morning there were already flowers laid at its base in memory. I stood in silence and thought about those who died, their families, and thought some silent thoughts before picking up my bag and walking on with a lump in my throat. My abiding memory of that time four years ago comes from the day when the Piccadilly line reopened after weeks of being closed, and only a ha...